A Passionate Magic

I am not much for these type books, but truly enjoyed this book. Atop a seaside cliff at the edge of the windswept moors of Cornwall stood the forbidding castle that Lady Emma would now call home. Sent as an offering of peace between two feuding families, the raven-haired beauty was prepared to perform her wifely duties. But when she first lifted her gaze to the turquoise eyes of her lord, she sensed that he was the man she had seen in her most intimate visions. Dain of Penruan was her destiny. I loved both the heroine and hero. He was just and compassionate. He stood up to his wicked mother to stand by his wife. Definitely worth reading.

There has been a feud between the houses of Wroxley and Penruan for generations. King Henry decides on an ending to the feud: marry Dain of Penruan to one of Wroxley's daughters. It was decided that Alys would go, but her older half-sister Emma asks to take her place because Alys is sickly and is only a child. Emma faces severs hostility at Penruan. Dain cannot trust her because his mother has poisoned his mind against anyone bearing the name. While his mother is away, Emma works in the still room with herbs and herbal remedies. She has magical ability, but hides it because Dain is biased against magic. Emma's life becomes infinitely more difficult when Dain's mother comes home. She is a bitter, poisonous woman full of unreasonable rage and false piety. She does everything she can to undermine Emma and remind Dain of the feud. He resists his mother's hateful words, but will he still support Emma when he learns of her magical abilities... and her true parentage? I would have liked to see Emma do magic earlier in the book, but I enjoyed the characters of Emma, Agatha, Vivienne, and Hermit. And the addition of the legend of Merlin and Nimue was a nice touch. An enjoyable work.

When he commands an end to the feud between Lord Dain of Penruan and Baron Gavin of Wroxley, King Henry stipulates that one of Gavin's daughters must marry Dain. Eighteen-year-old Emma volunteers to go because of concerns regarding her younger sister's health. After hearing Dain's speech to the king, Gavin knows that Dain would prefer revenge to a bride, but yields only because of oath of fealty to the king. Besides, Emma knows she won't find a husband closer to home. Too many men knew of her education and magical abilities, preferring to wed more docile and mundane women.In Cornwall, Dain's immediate attraction to Emma leaves him stunned. He had prepared to wed a child of seven, expecting to put her away before she was old enough to wed. Instead, he found himself married to a striking beauty determined to make herself useful to him and his people. Even as he treats her with suspicion, Dain comes to realize that Emma's passion for him is genuine. Too bad he accepted responsibility for a feud he cannot put aside. Indeed, it irks him that he can find no fault in her. As each piece of the past comes to light, revealing the truth surrounding the feud between the families, the tension and betrayals increase. Flora Speer weaves a surprisingly complex tale against a medieval tapestry. Threads of magic interspersed with strong emotion result in a romance filled with bewitching passion and sweeping intensity. The use of magic is selective, never overpowering the narrative, yet helping it to move along smoothly. Indeed, A PASSIONATE MAGIC is a moving and beautiful tale of love determined to grow under tremendous odds. Very highly recommended.

The feud had been between their dead grandfathers. Yet in 1129, King Henry listened to Lord Dain's complaint and ruled that his rival Baron Gavin of Wroxley will hand over one of his daughters in marriage to end the dispute. Gavin hates handing over any of his children to Dain because he fears for them at the hands of the angry noble. He chooses his ailing seven-year-old daughter Alys, but eighteen-year-old Emma offers to go instead. The honorable Gavin raised Emma as his own, but though only three people know the truth she is not of his blood. Alys is the oldest of his seed. Still Emma persuades him and goes to live with Dain.In Cornwall, Dain is stunned that he is attracted to his "guest.".Emma believes that she has found love at first sight, but must persuade Dain they belong together. However, though he begins to fall in love too, he seeks the reason why she came instead of the intended Alys because he mistrusts her family. However, he cannot deny that Emma with her healing abilities has captured his heart and that of his people except for his mother who hates her.A PASSIONATE MAGIC is an enchanting medieval romance that uses a magical element and tons of distrust to foster a power tale. The story line is loaded, as the key charcaters, including several secondary players whose appearances are limited, seem genuine. The cast makes the plot hum and brings alive an era of machinations at every level of society yet still allows fabulous Flora Speer to write that the real magic is in love.Harriet Klausner